St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-09-23
A SIBERIAN EXILE.
How He Made His Escape and
Reached England.


By cable to the Globe.
LONDON, Sept. PA Russian politi-
cal exile, who recently made his escape
from Siberia, has been entertaining a
select coterie of Bohemians in London
for some weeks by the relation of his
adventurous escape from his Siberian
jail, and the hardships which he en-
dured in his attempt to regain his lib
erty. He is man of about middle age,
OF pleasant appearance, and speaks
English well, as most educated Rus
slams do. He gives his name as Baker,
having assumed this name since he
reached London. The story of his es-
cape is most thrilling and the graphic
manner in which he relates it has never
failed to claim the undivided attention
of his listeners. He, with numerous
companions, was sent into exile early in
1881, for implication in some discovered
plot against the cars life and immured
within one of Siberia'S interior villages,
surrounded by vast tracts of ice
and snow. Here the prisoners were left
in the keeping of few guards, but they
were prevented from escaping far more
efectuatly by the fear of becoming the
prey of the fierce wolves, whose baying
at night could be heard on all sides of
the village. The idea and hope of es-
cape never leaves the exile'S mind, says
Baker, and his one absorbing thought
was how to reach freedom, and the hope
of accomplishing this remains with an
exile until death. The eXileS were
obliged to
GO INTO THE FORESTS
near by and cut what wood they used,
and it was by this very means that
Baker succeeded in eluding the vigil
ance of the guards and leaving the vii
lage. One day while he and a compan-
ion were securing their supply of wood
they accidentally came upon an opening
concealed by an evergreen tree, which
led to a gOod-sized cave. Here was
means of escape. Without giving the
details, which Baker relates SO fully, it
is enough to say that the two exileS
kept the matter secret and removed day
by day to the cave such of their provi-
sions as they could spare without
exciting attention. When the cave was
stocked with food enough to last for
some time if frugally used, the men pre-
pared to take their departure from exile,
and begin the hard and doubtful srrug-
gle for liberty. So one day they went
out for wood, but did not return. OF
course, search was made for them and
the country secured, but having thrown
UllCll Oll GllC blO CAilCS
lived securely for nearly two weeks
within sight of their recent place of
confinement. AT the end of that time
they came out of their hiding place and
began journey of hair breadth escapes
and shocking sufferings. After innum-
erable dangers from wolves, from Cos
sacks, from freezing and starvation,
they finally reached civilization, but
Bakers companion died soon after their
escape from the effects of the terrible
exposure he had endured. Baker says
that there is an organized movement on
Der of prominent political exiles and
that the arrangements for the accom-
plishment of the plan are most exten-
sive. Nihilists in all parts of the world
have contributed to the fund necessary
to carry out the design, which will soon
be put into operation.